Mastodon Visit Washington to Support the ‘Music Modernization Act’

Mastodon drummer Brann Dailor and guitarist Bill Kelliher recently visited Washington D.C. to lend their support for the Music Modernization Act (MMA), which recently was recently passed by a House Judiciary Committee and now heads to the House of Representatives for approval. The bill will update how music rates are set and how songwriters and artists get paid.

Dailor and Kelliher recently went to Capitol Hill to meet with representatives Doug Collins (R-Ga.) and Judy Chu (D-Calif.), who recently wrote a guest column for Variety explaining the bill. In the article the representatives describe that the music industry is still “bound by laws enacted before streaming even existed.” The outdated laws “make it impossible for stakeholders to respond to technological advancements and others thwart free-market forces.”

The bill calls for a database, which would “match songwriters to their songs, making it easier for creators to identify the use of their work and for music providers to fully compensate those creators and avoid copyright infringement.” It will also modernize how compensation for digital streaming is determined. Read more about the convoluted bill here.

The Music Modernization Act of 2018 unanimously passed the Judiciary Committee 32-0 and awaits a vote in the House of Representatives.

Dailor took to Instagram to post a photo with the representatives behind the bill, He wrote, "In Washington advocating to multiple members of congress and the senate to pass the music modernization act leveling the playing field for songwriters, composers, legacy artists, producers, engineers and studio professionals, this reform is long overdue and very much needed to ensure fair compensation for our work." See the photo below.

Mastodon will kick off their North American tour with Primus at the Red Rocks Amphitheater in Morrison Colorado on May 6. Check out all their tour dates here.